NASCAR officials have announced that they have decided to end the inaugural Loop 121 race early and declare Cole Custer as the winner. The decision came after considering the option of moving the final 28 laps of the race to Monday.
The Xfinity Series race, which was taking place on Saturday, was interrupted by lightning and had to be postponed after just 24 laps were completed. The race was initially scheduled to resume on Sunday at 10 a.m., but heavy rain and flooding on different sections of the road course forced NASCAR officials to cancel the remainder of the race.
In a statement, NASCAR officials revealed that they had contemplated finishing the race on Monday. However, after consulting with city officials, they decided against it. The strong partnership between NASCAR and the city of Chicago played a significant role in this decision.
The construction of the race course required significant street closures, and Chicago officials had planned to reopen northbound DuSable Lake Shore Drive on Sunday night following the conclusion of the Cup Series event. Other streets, including Jackson, Roosevelt, and Michigan Avenues, will be reopened within 24 hours of the race’s completion.
Postponing the rest of the Xfinity race to Monday would have necessitated longer closures, which NASCAR officials wanted to avoid. Therefore, they chose to end the race early and award the victory to Cole Custer.
The NASCAR Chicago Street Race has been an exciting event, and despite the unfortunate weather conditions, the partnership between NASCAR and the city of Chicago has remained strong.
What were the factors that prompted NASCAR to avoid longer street closures by ending the race early, despite considering finishing it on Monday
NASCAR officials have made the decision to conclude the inaugural Loop 121 race early and declare Cole Custer as the winner. The race, part of the Xfinity Series, had to be postponed due to lightning after only 24 laps were completed. Originally scheduled to resume on Sunday, heavy rain and flooding on parts of the road course forced NASCAR to cancel the remainder of the race.
Although NASCAR considered finishing the race on Monday, they ultimately decided against it after consulting with city officials. The strong partnership between NASCAR and the city of Chicago played a significant role in this decision. The construction of the race course required street closures, and the city had planned to reopen certain roads following the Cup Series event. Reopening these roads within a reasonable timeframe was a priority, prompting NASCAR to avoid longer closures by ending the race early.
Despite the weather challenges, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race has been an thrilling event, highlighting the collaboration between NASCAR and the city of Chicago.
It’s disappointing that the first Loop 121 Race had to be cut short due to weather conditions, but NASCAR’s decision to declare Cole Custer the winner is understandable. Safety should always be a priority, and I hope the next race will bring better weather and more excitement for fans.